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Shadow work apps compared
There is no single best shadow work app. Soul Arc fits you if you want a journal with an AI companion that asks questions, on iPhone, with no account. Other apps fit better if you need Android, a web version, or a course-like program.
Prices and ratings checked on October 3, 2026. Other details checked on October 2, 2026.How do the apps compare?
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| App | What it is | Platforms | Price (US) | AI chat | Shadow work | Archetypes | Storage and AI | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Arcthis site | Shadow work journal with prompts, trigger logs, a 15-planet journey, and Umbra, an AI companion. | iPhone, iPad | Free to download. Soul Arc Monthly $7.99. Soul Arc Pro Annual $49.99. | Yes, Umbra | Yes | Yes, 12 of its own | On your device, no account. Umbra messages go to Anthropic to write replies. | 5.0 (9) |
| ZenfulnoteZenfulnote LLC | Companion app to the book The Shadow Work Journal. Trigger tracking, exercises, meditations, and AI reflections on your entries. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android | Free to download. Monthly Plan $8.99. Annual Plan $44.99. | No chat. AI reflections on entries. | Yes | Not mentioned | Cloud hosting, per its privacy policy. AI provider not stated. | 4.8 (2,834) |
| MindbergMindberg doo | Jungian shadow work program with a shadow profile test, AI chats, dream interpretation, a prompted journal, courses, and audiobooks. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, web | Free to download. Monthly Subscription $24.99. Annual Subscription $99.99. | Yes | Yes | Yes, Jungian | Cloud servers, per its privacy policy. AI provider not named. | 4.7 (361) |
| Shadow Work JournalErsah Atmaca | Guided shadow work prompts, a symbol and archetype explorer, an AI dialogue called Chat with Your Shadow Self, and mood tracking. | iPhone, iPad, Mac (iOS 18.2 or later) | Free to download. Monthly $9.99. Annual $39.99. | Yes | Yes | Yes | On your device only, no account, per its listing. AI provider not stated. | 4.5 (108) |
| Shadow Work AICakewalk Labs Inc | AI-generated shadow work prompts with CBT-style action items. | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Free to download. Unlimited Monthly $7.99. Unlimited Annual Access $59.99. | No chat. AI prompts and insights. | Yes | Not mentioned | Not stated on its listing. | 4.2 (5) |
| RosebudJust Imagine, Inc. | General AI journal that talks back, remembers past entries, and writes weekly reports. Voice journaling and guided journals. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, web | Free to download. Rosebud Bloom $12.99 a month or $107.99 a year. | Yes | No | No | Cloud, account required. Uses OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others, per its privacy policy. | 4.9 (3,309) |
| MindseraMindsera OU | General AI journal with entry analysis, emotion tracking, and a chat with your journal. | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, web | Free to download. Genius Monthly $14.99. Genius Annual $129.00. | Yes, on the paid plan | No | No | Cloud, account required. Its policy says journal content is not used to train AI. | 4.8 (278) |
| Day OneBloom Built Inc (Automattic) | General life journal with photos, audio, and sync. The Gold plan adds an AI chat and summaries. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Android, Windows, web | Free to download. Silver $8.99 a month or $49.99 a year. Gold $74.99 a year. | Yes, on the Gold plan | No | No | Cloud sync with end-to-end encryption. Uses OpenAI for AI features, per its guide. | 4.8 (118,382) |
| stoic.Stoic app inc. | Morning and evening guided journaling, mood tracking, and breathing exercises. Paid AI analysis and short mentor dialogues. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Android | Free to download. Premium in-app purchases from $6.99. AI plans from $12.99. Lifetime Premium $299.00. | Short AI dialogues, paid | No | No | iCloud sync. Uses OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google for AI. Its policy says content is not used to train AI. | 4.8 (35,847) |
| Jungian Psyche AiMichael Cozzolino | AI conversations with a Jungian lens, dream interpretation, and shadow work exercises. | iPhone, iPad, Mac, web | Free with one question a day. Monthly $9.99. Yearly $100.00. | Yes | Yes | Yes, Jungian | Its listing says data is encrypted with an anonymous option. AI provider not stated. | 5.0 (3) |
| ArchetypeViral Tech Inc. | AI quiz that assigns one of 16 archetypes, with a report and an AI guide chat. | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Free to download. Archetype Report $14.99. Archetype Pro $9.99 and $49.99 (billing periods not shown on the listing). | Yes | In part | Yes, 16 types | Not stated on its listing. | 5.0 (21) |
Rating is the US App Store rating with the number of ratings in brackets. Sources: each app's US App Store listing, website, and privacy policy. App names link to the listing. "Not stated" and "not mentioned" mean the pages we read did not say. Other in-app purchases may exist.
Which app fits which person?
- Soul Arc. People who want a shadow work journal with a companion that asks questions instead of giving advice, on iPhone, without creating an account.
- Zenfulnote. People who own The Shadow Work Journal and want its exercises in an app, or who need Android.
- Mindberg. People who want a course-like Jungian program with tests, lessons, and audio, on any device.
- Shadow Work Journal. People on a recent iPhone who want an on-device journal with prompts and an AI dialogue.
- Shadow Work AI. People who want AI-written prompts and action items more than a conversation.
- Rosebud. People who want a general AI journal across phone and web, not one built around shadow work.
- Mindsera. People who want written analysis of their entries and mental-model style exercises.
- Day One. Long-term life journaling with photos, synced across every device.
- stoic.. People who want a daily journaling routine with mood tracking and a large library of prompts.
- Jungian Psyche Ai. People who mainly want to ask an AI questions about Jungian ideas and dreams.
- Archetype. People who want an archetype quiz and report more than a journal.
Where is Soul Arc weaker?
- iPhone and iPad only. There is no Android app and no web version.
- It is new. 9 ratings on the App Store, next to thousands for the larger apps.
- No cloud sync. Your journal is on one device. That is the privacy choice, and it also means deleting the app deletes your entries.
- English only.
- No courses, meditations, or human coaches. Some of the apps above have them.
- Short free sessions. The free plan is 1 Umbra session a day with 5 messages.
What is different about Soul Arc?
- No account. The journal is stored on your device and the app never asks for an email.
- A companion with rules. Umbra is told to ask questions and never to give advice or diagnose, and each session has a fixed length.
- One system. Your archetype, your prompts, and the 15-planet journey are tied together.
How was this checked?
Prices and ratings were read from each app's US App Store listing on October 3, 2026. Platforms, features, and privacy details were read from each app's listing, website, or privacy policy on October 2, 2026. Nothing here is guessed. Where a page did not state a fact, the table says so.
Apps change. If something here is out of date or wrong, email help@soularc.app and we will fix it.
Questions people ask
What is the best shadow work app?
It depends on what you need. For a journal with an AI companion on iPhone and no account, Soul Arc. For Android, or a companion to The Shadow Work Journal book, Zenfulnote. For a Jungian program with tests and lessons on any device, Mindberg.
Is there a free shadow work app?
Every app in the table is free to download, and each one limits something on its free plan. Soul Arc's free plan includes 1 Umbra session, 1 Deep Dive, and 3 prompts a day.
Which shadow work apps work on Android?
Of the shadow work apps in the table, Zenfulnote and Mindberg list Android versions. Soul Arc is for iPhone and iPad only.
Which apps keep the journal on your device?
Soul Arc stores your journal on your device with no account. Shadow Work Journal by Ersah Atmaca says the same on its listing. Several of the others store entries in the cloud, and a few do not say.